Help Broken People Rebuild Broken Walls
Laverne Weber
Guest Writer


Sally* was a straight-A student until her absent father arrived on the
scene. Because she so longed for her dad’s love, she was vulnerable to his
subtle approaches. At 13, in her father’s van, Sally lost her virginity
and her sense of worth. Her life plummeted until, at the age of 21, she
found Jesus Christ as her Savior. But she wore a mask. Her big question
was, “What if the people in my church ever found out?”

Jenny* was pregnant at 14 and her parents pushed her into having an
abortion. Mother’s Day always brought back the shame and sorrow, even
though she had a happy marriage and other children.

Inside Christ’s Church

If it is true that one child out of four has been sexually abused, it is
also true that many of these children grow up and become a part of
Christ’s Church. Besides those who have experienced sexual abuse, many
people have been damaged in other ways. They wear masks to hide their
pain, while wondering if God really cares.

In a time of increasing sexual, physical, and emotional abuse, our
churches have a great need for Scripture-based ministry to those who are
prisoners to the past. Fortunately, the Bible gives us an example for
ministering to broken people.

The Fall of Judah

The fall of Judah had been devastating. Although God had warned His people
over and over, they’d rejected His call. That brought judgment. Innocents
suffered because others chose to sin. Now, God’s people remaining in
Jerusalem were too defeated to rise above their ruins. Was there a God who
heard their cries and cared about their tears?

Even though it seemed overwhelming, God had the answer. His name was
Nehemiah. Nehemiah was not a man of great importance. In fact, because of
the sins of his forefathers, Nehemiah was a prisoner of war, a lowly slave
in Babylon. A man with issues of his own, Nehemiah did not realize that
God was about to change his destiny.

As a slave elevated to the position of cupbearer and confidante to King
Artaxerxes, Nehemiah understood that his very existence depended on a
pleasant demeanor. It was the mask he wore. But on this particular day his
pain was too great. He could not hide the deep sorrow in his eyes. Since
hearing of the broken walls and the great piles of rubble in the city of
Jerusalem, Nehemiah was devastated. What could be done? Who would go?

Nehemiah wept and fasted and prayed. His brokenness became a burden. When
his burden grew so big that he could not keep his mask in place, he prayed
a very specific prayer. God granted him favor with the king and Nehemiah
went to the city of Jerusalem.

Surveying The Damage

Upon arrival, Nehemiah surveyed the damage. Quietly and at night, with
only a few trusted men, he examined the broken walls of this once mighty
City of God. He saw the gaps in the walls and the huge heaps of rubble. He
listened to the enemies’ taunts. He heard the despair as the people of
Judah cried, “there is so much rubble we cannot rebuild.” He sensed their
fear and shame. Nehemiah saw broken walls and broken people. It looked
hopeless but one man cared. He went beyond caring, he acted.

Broken people today face the same issues. It looks hopeless. The enemy
taunts and frightens them. Do they dare to face their rubble? Denial,
shame, fear, and depression push them back into the shadows. They need
someone to help. What can we do to mend the broken walls in the body of
Christ?

We must reach out with Christ’s compassion. Galatians 6:2 tells us, “Carry
each other's burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ”
(NIV).

Journey to Joy

The wounded members of the Body of Christ may be so weighed down with the
pains of the past that they cannot be all that God plans for them to be.
They may even pass their pain on to their families and to the church they
attend. God calls us to minister to them, but how do we do this? One
answer is a small group ministry where there is safety and
confidentiality, acceptance and healing. That is what we did. We named it
Journey to Joy.

At the very first Journey To Joy meeting a tear trickled slowly down
Sally’s cheek, opening the door to the release of twenty years of pain.
One day in a small group, with her hands covering her face, Jenny blurted
out her abortion experience. Instead of rejection, she found love and
acceptance and healing. Now she ministers to others in the church with an
abortion in their past.

Nehemiah helped the broken people to rebuild their broken walls one brick
at a time, while all the time carrying a sword in the other hand. The
sword in Scripture symbolizes God’s powerful Word. The good news is that
there is healing and freedom through Christ’s love coupled with God’s
Word.

The hurting and broken are waiting for Christ’s Church to step into the
gaps. We have the answer. We can do what Nehemiah did. We can help the
broken parts of Christ’s Body know that God cares because we care. We can
see damaged lives healed and fulfilling their role in the kingdom of God.
We can make a difference. Will we?

* Names have been changed